My understanding with Mississippi is that they intentionally do not fill every year. I think that they just upped their number of residents; however, they used to have 8 a year. They would put 6 up in the match for the current interview season. So, This year they would be interviewing for 6 people to start as PGY-2s in 2004. Then, what they will do is next year, they will interview for the remaining spots and interview people that have already done at least one year of training. So, if they do not fill with their full number, they always have the following year where they can look for more PGY-1s to interview.

I did not have that many interviews, eight total, applied to 24. I think that I could match, but I think that I might not get one of my top three. The other places, four thru eight seem the same to me, not the best cities, average programs, blah, blah, blah.
Would it be so horrible to scramble, does anyone know EM scramblers?

Anyone out there know of residents who have scrambled? I wonder how difficult it is (not that I'll have to do it, I hope). there's previous poster who said the EM scramble was over in minutes....wow.

I applied to a large number of programs and it would be quite ironic if I don't match and I scramble into a program that didn't offer me an interview. Is that possible? Or I scramble into a program I interviewed at but didn't rank. That would be strange. Sorry, I would do a transitional year instead.

I do know someone who scrambled into EM. He scrambled into Metropolitan in NY which, from what I hear, is not the most amazing program and usually has some empty slots after the primary match. It is possible, I guess.

There are several new programs, so I am guessing that there will be more spots in the scramble this year. Also, who knows if the number of applicants are up/down/same. I would make the guess that the numbers are not up. I say that because the numbers are down at my school. Also, there has been resident work hours reform, so maybe those torn between EM and Surg, went to the dark side...figuring that work hours won't be such an issue.
The SAEM website posts info about previous year matches and statistically 94% of us should match. I just hope I am not in that 6% group.

I would be interested in seeing if this year's numbers have changed. One PD told me he had gotten more applications this year than ever before, while another one said applications had been down slightly...

I do have a feeling, though, that EM may have slightly dipped in popularity, just from a general feeling talkign to students. I think it hit its height 2-3 years ago... which is fine for me as long as I match. I think the work hours have a lot to do with it, as well as the popularity of anesthesia as of late. Possibly the threat of malpractice may have scared people off from the front lines of EM (working in a fishbowl), but, well, you need to be confident in the ED and realize you will be sued someday.

Originally posted by QuinnNSU Possibly the threat of malpractice may have scared people off from the front lines of EM (working in a fishbowl), but, well, you need to be confident in the ED and realize you will be sued someday.

Q

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Bingo. After getting sued, you either become a total prude, or fearless, because you either believe in yourself, or lose your confidence. At least the group pays the premiums.

I don't know where that information came from, but it does not sound right. There are new programs this year, no programs have closed, many programs have increased their quota, none that that I know of have reduced their quota, and there were 1211 slots last year. Soooo, there is certainly more than 990 slots out there. As to how many applicants there is, I have no idea. Even if there where 1300, 93% of applicants would match, which does sound about right.

As for the 1300 applicants for 900'ish spots...What a bunch of crap!
Why do people, let alone a PD say these things, it just doesn't make any sense!
Whatever
I'll place my bet now, numbers have evened out and more spots in the scramble.

As for the 1300 applicants for 900'ish spots...What a bunch of crap!
Why do people, let alone a PD say these things, it just doesn't make any sense!
Whatever
I'll place my bet now, numbers have evened out and more spots in the scramble.

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We must have been standing in the same ED...I think the peak has peaked.

I was a told by a PD at one program I visited that there would be "a spot for every applicant" this year, he felt.

I don't know how much credence I give that, but as Match Day looms in the distance, that statement sort of calms my fears. Not really. I wonder if I'm the only one who just has a total, semi-irrational fear of going umatched?

I agree, those #'s just don't sound right with the several year trend with fewer applicants pushing the applicantosition ratio down pretty close to 1:1 for ER (especially if you only consider the American allopathic student population only)

Thanks for responding desperado.
I felt like a jerk for putting out info, whether it was true or not, that I thought people would want to know. Sounds like there are more acurate estimates, or exact numbers.
Incidentally, I was in the first trip to the bid sand box. Not exactly a period of reflection for me.
BLack cat: make sure you check your mask. Did you see 60 minutes this weekend that talked about 70-90% of our chemical gear being deficient? I remember those damn filters were always shot and heaven help you if you wear glasses. Keep your straps tight.

Mountbank, I'm an FMG and had no support or advice last year. (I wrote my own Dean's letter.) I also did my third year in England. So, I wasn't exactly well set up for the match last year. I didn't apply to nearly enough programs, applied late, and I applied only to EM programs. I didn't get any interviews.

I took this last year off, worked on a master's program, and just generally enjoyed being with my family. I've done only limited clinical work. I applied earlier this year, and to a lot more programs. However, I'm still not the best applicant.

It hasn't been easier the second time around. I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I wish I had scrambled into an IM or FP spot last year, then tried to transfer to EM.

sundermannr - i bet the number is higher than that! those pro-masks are generally not very good. mopp gear is not much better, never fits right and hot as hell. my last ctt (common task training) i almost passed out trying to get the thing on.

Don't Plan on scrambling into Mississippi. They fill there open spots with people who have completed a transitional year the year before. The two who will begin this year were both AOA. They are filling 4 spots outside the match this year, as they upped their number to 10 residents.